Vegas Struggling (April 28, 2025)

[Dive_Bar_Dave]

So, MGM is laying off concierges at 6 strip properties:

https://www.reviewjournal.com/entert...rties-3363755/

And Vegas locals are complaining that now is the slowest time for tourism since Covid:

https://www.reddit.com/r/vegaslocals...ed_visitation/

https://www.reddit.com/r/poker/comme..._might_answer/

A lot of people in the comments are complaining about how expensive Vegas is, about the high resort fees, the charges for parking, the 6/5 blackjack, etc. Plus, some foreigners are boycotting travel into the US.

What has been clear for a while is that the big corporations have been raising prices and decreasing services. Eventually, consumers vote with their feet and go elsewhere...

[desertrunner]

Ha, beat me to this. I was going to post and comment at a later date.

MY friend and I just discussed this earlier and my point is Las Vegas casinos need to LOWER their costs to increase volume to compete with the So Cal casinos. People in So Cal escape to Vegas for VALUE and low costs and now arent seeing it.

I hope Druff covers this on the next PFA radio show.

[brutal_thinker]

Sorry DR, but I have to call a foul. People in So-Cal don't go to Vegas for value over the local spots. Keep in mind that LV Casinos are better regulated, have all the table games, don't refuse to pay Slot Jackpots (Like some Native American Casinos have been known to do), usually have way better food and usually have nicer accommodations. I'll be the first to admit that the resort fee nonsense chaps my hide, but take a run over to Commerce or Hollywood Park and tell me those spots are better overall than a standard strip property. Just sayin.

[desertrunner]

Sorry DR, but I have to call a foul. People in So-Cal don't go to Vegas for value over the local spots. Keep in mind that LV Casinos are better regulated, have all the table games, don't refuse to pay Slot Jackpots (Like some Native American Casinos have been known to do), usually have way better food and usually have nicer accommodations. I'll be the first to admit that the resort fee nonsense chaps my hide, but take a run over to Commerce or Hollywood Park and tell me those spots are better overall than a standard strip property. Just sayin.

Sorry, I should have been more detailed, when I say So Cal casinos, I'm not referring to Commerce or Hollywood Park, I meant more like Moronog. San Manual, Rincon, Pala, Pechanga, Yaamava, etc. o and all of the other high-end indian casinos in Riverside, San Berdoo and San Diego counties. All of those properties are bringing in the locals that would have drove to flown to Vegas. I agree with all of the posted material that Las Vegas is being hurt by the resort fees and continued high cost after COVID. As for sports betting, you got me there as that is not my area.

Also look at the Nor Cal- Thunder Valley in Lincoln is massive busy. Add in the properties in Shingle Springs, Ione, Elk Grove and the foothills properties in and around Fresno, they hurt the Reno and Tahoe traffic.

[splitthis]

I miss Vegas of the 80’s and 90’s. Cheap places to stay, we liked the Stardust, 1.50 strip steak dinners at 2 am, free and flowing cocktails, great playback bonuses, low cost or free shows.

[desertrunner]

I miss Vegas of the 80’s and 90’s. Cheap places to stay, we liked the Stardust, 1.50 strip steak dinners at 2 am, free and flowing cocktails, great playback bonuses, low cost or free shows.

The 90s were the BEST time in Vegas. Watching the housing boom was very interesting as well.

[BedWetterBettor]

They probably made over a Billion dollars this past week from all the Wrestling shows, Hotel & Vendor gouging and the absurd Mania show & Merch prices they got to benefit from!

$8000 for “Brunch” with has been superstars, lol!

Vegas will be fine until the next shooting!

[Dan Druff]

The Superbowl weekend was a wakeup call for the city, as it was so empty that rooms were actually going for cheaper than an average weekend. Nobody would have ever imagined that occurring.

There is definitely a backlash. As bad of value as Vegas was in the 2010s, it has degraded much more in the 2020s, with many of the COVID-era cutbacks sticking permanently, yet prices keep going up.

They've also degraded the games to where it's quite difficult to walk away a winner on a 3-day trip for the average tourist, barring unusually good luck. The modern bean counters just don't understand that you get return visitors when they don't feel completely fleeced and hopeless.

South Point, a local property, has it right. They have good video poker paytables, cheap (and decent tasting) food, and a general philosophy that you don't have to gouge everyone to make a profit off them. And the place is generally clean and nice to visit.

It's sad how Vegas has turned into a destination where squeezing short term profits from the tourist is the only goal.

[desertrunner]

South Point, a local property, has it right. They have good video poker paytables, cheap (and decent tasting) food, and a general philosophy that you don't have to gouge everyone to make a profit off them. And the place is generally clean and nice to visit.

Very good points as I have visited there recently and was impressed. The buffet was pretty good too as my female companion really liked the place overall.

[gut]

Will be there again in 2 weeks, will report

[desertrunner]

Another update-

https://www.reviewjournal.com/?p=336...w6WNmZkmXJuIrQ

[Dive_Bar_Dave]

Some of these casinos should go down. They deserve it.

[gut]

The Superbowl weekend was a wakeup call for the city, as it was so empty that rooms were actually going for cheaper than an average weekend. Nobody would have ever imagined that occurring.

There is definitely a backlash. As bad of value as Vegas was in the 2010s, it has degraded much more in the 2020s, with many of the COVID-era cutbacks sticking permanently, yet prices keep going up.

They've also degraded the games to where it's quite difficult to walk away a winner on a 3-day trip for the average tourist, barring unusually good luck. The modern bean counters just don't understand that you get return visitors when they don't feel completely fleeced and hopeless.

South Point, a local property, has it right. They have good video poker paytables, cheap (and decent tasting) food, and a general philosophy that you don't have to gouge everyone to make a profit off them. And the place is generally clean and nice to visit.

It's sad how Vegas has turned into a destination where squeezing short term profits from the tourist is the only goal.

Yeah basically this. If I come back again this year, might just do southpoint.

The bartenders I chatted with this trip (all Caesers properties) basically agreed as well. Slower for all of them this year, prices of everything thru the roof.

I could generally walk at my own, fast, pace down centerstrip during prime walking hours. Duck and dodge groups, sure, but not the Manhattan style stuck in a moving blob way of old.

A weird hybrid now of dirt cheap to get, and stay, in Vegas. Then spend a ton while here. And low odds of a casual gambler winning money.

[gut]

They probably made over a Billion dollars this past week from all the Wrestling shows, Hotel & Vendor gouging and the absurd Mania show & Merch prices they got to benefit from!

$8000 for “Brunch” with has been superstars, lol!

Vegas will be fine until the next shooting!

A cabbie and 1 bartender both told me that wrestlemania was the biggest weekend this year

[BedWetterBettor]

They probably made over a Billion dollars this past week from all the Wrestling shows, Hotel & Vendor gouging and the absurd Mania show & Merch prices they got to benefit from!

$8000 for “Brunch” with has been superstars, lol!

Vegas will be fine until the next shooting!

A cabbie and 1 bartender both told me that wrestlemania was the biggest weekend this year

Not surprising at all. Wrestling Fan Boys have as much if not MORE money than Star Wars Nerds! The inside term for them is "Money Marks" and Tony Khan, the current owner of AEW and son of Billionaire Shad Khan, is the biggest Money Mark out there.

Unfortunately, a fun and lively event like Wrestlemania Week can get derailed with Frauds like Mr. Beast pulling this kind of shit...

[desertrunner]

This story keeps getting worse as more lay off’s are happening in Vegas.

Druff- Please cover this next PFA radio, this is really getting serious.

[lol wow]

guys omg guys its getting serious charging 3 thousand dollars for parking is turning guests off omg guys emergency radio

[Dive_Bar_Dave]

This guy on youtube makes sense. He says "VEGAS HATES YOU."



(the casinos don't cater to middle-class gamblers)

[Jayjami]

This story keeps getting worse as more lay off’s are happening in Vegas.

Druff- Please cover this next PFA radio, this is really getting serious.

This is what winning looks like. Thanks Orange Man.

[go_buccos]

This story keeps getting worse as more lay off’s are happening in Vegas.

Druff- Please cover this next PFA radio, this is really getting serious.

This is what winning looks like. Thanks Orange Man.

To be fair, can’t really pin this on Trump… paid parking started almost a decade ago and the nickel-and-diming as a whole has been going on for close to 20 years now.

That said, Trump himself kinda sucked as a casino operator